Posted
by
msmash
on Friday March 18, 2016 @04:24PM
from the whispers-in-high-school-hallways dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Citing multiple sources, Kotaku says that Sony is working on a 'PlayStation 4.5.' The gaming console will supposedly have an upgraded GPU which will support high-end 4K resolution for games, and have more processing power which would enhance the games supported by PlayStation VR. From the report, "A more powerful PS4 would also allow the machine to be more competitive with PCs in the world of virtual reality. With a higher-end GPU, the PS4 could more easily match up against the more expensive Oculus Rift and HTC Vive virtual reality headsets, which are designed to work with powerful PCs."

So I'm responding to both you and the AC in this chain: I can't imagine the devs looking to tap into this PS4+ for enhanced 1080p over the standard PS4. If anything, to prevent fragmentation in the online multi-player experience (can't be having differences in performances like in the PC world) for competitive reasons, the'll have to throw 4K mode into its own multiplayer session. Meaning, PS4+ vs PS4 having the same 1080 characteristics can play together. But PS4+ enhanced GPU 1080 vs PS4 standard GPU 1080

It is in fact exactly like the 32X, which supported all Genesis games and provided graphical improvements to 32X games and a small number of (gastly) Sega CD/32X titles. Playstation 4 Plus could just as easily be called Playstation 5 Lite, since it will function exactly the same economically. It's a stop-gap between generations.

The hardware add-on era is back and, frankly, we should be surprised that this business model is being pursued. It shows just how unprepared Sony and MS are for new contenders at

No. No it's not. The 32X as I've stated is a bolt-on. Meaning, anyone with a Genesis (MegaDrive) could purchase one to play the latest 32X games. A PS4+ or PS4K, or whatever, is an entirely new console. Meaning, market penetration will be less for existing console owners for all but the most die-hard that will no doubt trade up at the nearest GameStop.

The 32X was a bolt-on but for no good reason, it was a console that plugged into another console basically and might have been better off as a standalone, perhaps including Megadrive hardware compatibility. That would have made it interesting for both Megadrive and SNES users.

I was under the impression that a hardware upgrade was going to be sold for PS4 owners, and a new console would also be made that includes the upgraded GPU. This would be similar to the 32X, and Sega even planned a console that included the 32X and Sega CD hardware called the Sega Neptune.

I think what the dude meant is that fracturing your installed base just 2 years after your console launched is an immensely dumb idea, no matter how it's done (blot-on or new system). The only way Sony can pull "PlayStation 4.5" off and succeed is to make those VR games compatible with the ordinary PS4, even at a lower-resolutions or non-VR functionality. Otherwise, if there are games that run only on the PS4.5, every developer is going to go towards where the audience is (PS4) for as long as it's "good enough". Also, VR took Sony and MS by surprise, otherwise they wouldn't have gone for so mediocre GPUs...

Yep, officially one of the worst rumours I've heard in a long time. I recently gave up PC gaming for good. Too old, too poor, not enough time. I love just plug, play on my consoles. I can deal with 30fps vs 60 or 90, I don't mind the sub 1080p games, they normally squeeze out pretty nice graphics for a $400 box.

The thought of the consoles take a PC-esque route is frankly, gross to me. Awful idea.

The first time I find myself having to check the box of a console game to see if my console meets the system requirements is the day I just go back to PC gaming for good. If I have to deal with all the hassles of PC gaming, I may as well get all the benefits too.

I know, why would I want to play original titles with gorgeous graphics like Splatoon!, Pikmin 3, Super Mario 3D World, when I can play buggy 3rd party "bald space marine" FPSs in glorious next gen brown? I hate it when companies push the envelope in creativity, fun, and challenge too.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my "Fischer Price" games like "Fire Emblem: Fates".

Oh wow, i hadn't seen that new one. What a piece of crap! No single player, no Samus... it's like a metroid game, just without metroid... or game.
Other M looks pretty cool, however, might have to dig out the ol' wii if i can find it. I loved the metroid prime games, they were my favorite wii games, motion control worked great with it. Too bad they're crapping all over it on its 30th anniversary. What's next, zelda, played in only multiplayer deathmatch and you don't play as Link, but rather an anonymo

Microsoft is also apparently working on increasing the XBox's graphical capabilities. According to rumor, the improved XBox will come with support for up to 16 hardware sprites on screen at a time, and the ability to free up more memory for developers by turning off the BIOS mapped into $A000...

So, a big bump in graphical power to coincide with the arrival of VR sounds like a smart move to me.

Would have been smarter to have prepared the PS4 for this in the first place. I was preparing myself for the expense of VR gear to go with my PS4, but with $800 to $1000 being the cheapest options I have seen so far (and when adjusted to NZ$ it will probably double) I can't see myself replacing the PS4 as well as forking out for the VR gear, so yeah, PC upgrades are looking very likely now.

Sony could have made a PS4 console that was twice as powerful, but it would have been twice the size to accommodate the larger heat sinks and cost twice as much. They would not have sold 36 million PS4's if that was the case.

Consoles are built to a price point and that price point gets lower over the lifespan of the console. It's quantity over quality.

They started out really great by literally introducing affordable hardware 3D for everyone, opened it up with Linux later on - and was still the best alternative for free to play via the internet, something that made their PS3 stand out from the rest, Xbox declined...people souring up over being the only console where you have to play to pay...

Nintendo recently tried this with the new 3DS. To date, only two games have been made exclusively for the new hardware (not counting the recent introduction of snes virtual console games). The problem is that publishers are always reluctant to ignore an already existing, and extremely large, install base of older hardware. The same thing happened in the transition between console generations recently.